that suggests that speaker boehner is actually in a stronger position in his caucus than when he was elected two years ago. how is he doing, do you think? >> well, i think he's in a stronger position because republicans feel like they're in a weaker position. i think a lot of republicans who might prefer a different leader don't feel they have the luxury of that right now. in fact, even congressman kantor and others, who boehner didn't think he could count on the last time around, are being supportive. republicans are trying to calculate how much they have to give in now and is there a way to fall back with the idea of being able to move ahead in a more aggressive way next year. that's why you saw the president in a very preemptive way trying to rule out the idea of tying talks to next february to raising the debt ceiling. >> alan simpson, the co-chair of the president's deficit commission, was on the "today" show this morning and he said all this talk about either side being able to go off the cliff is ridiculous. let me play that for you. >> when you have leaders of parties and people from